After confirming the economic and environmental benefits of CNG trough a pilot project with a school van powered by this fuel, the City of Andradas, in the southern region of the state, has decided to convert its fleet consisting of 18 vehicles. It is expected that more than R$ 100,000 (over USD 43,000) will be saved a year due to the replacement of gasoline with CNG.
“These resources can be allocated to more important issues such as school meals and other social matters. And we will continue contributing to the air quality of our city,” said Mayor Rodrigo Lopes. The Administration has already completed the tender for the conversion of the fleet, which will be conducted by Techno Gás.
A year ago, in order to carry out the pilot project, Gasmig together with Santa Barbara refueling station and equipment manufacturers reached an agreement with the municipality, which obtained the free conversion of the school van and enough natural gas to operate the vehicle for 90 days.
“We are implementing this pilot strategy, bringing together the parties involved in the CNG value chain, so that potential users can verify the advantages of both natural gas as a fuel and the technology of these engines,” said Gasmig CNG coordinator Welder Souza.
Andradas, which is a city connected to the South Minas Gas Pipeline, was the first municipality in the region to have a CNG station. Currently, fuel is also available in the city of Poços de Caldas.
The municipal fleet will be the second corporate one that uses natural gas in Minas Gerais. It is part of an initiative launched by Gasmig in 2013 and for which the company won the “BH Sustainable” certification issued by the Municipality of Belo Horizonte for its contribution to air quality improvement in the capital city as a result of the deployment of 37 NGVs.
Source: Minas Gerais Gas Company (Gasmig).
